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Topic Review (Newest First)

12-30-2001 06:27 PM

BigRed56

Boat Choice

Ahoy wannabe sailor, Once again jeff has it about right but if your brave enough you could look at an older ocean cruiser with lots of sea miles and save some. Or you could buy a really old around the world singlehander like I did this year and spend your money on an upto date retrofit.By boat built in 1963 is a huge project but it''s worth it. Then again you could buy the best you can afford and trow your dock lines off and wing it. I mean you''ve got to hit land sometime!! Big Red56

12-30-2001 06:08 PM

MikeMoss

Boat Choice

You could do what the majority do and get a Morgan OI 41 and stay at a dock in Florida and in very good weather go to the next spot. Thats not a bad plan.

Offshore requires a heck of a boat and crew.

Why not buy something for coastal and see how it goes.

12-29-2001 12:01 AM

jonconway

Boat Choice

Thanks Halyardz
Interestingly I was told last August that I would have to wait 10+ months for delivery. This has now shrunk to 5 to 6 months so you could well be right. I will check it out before I part with the not inconsiderbale deposit; as in 15% of base boat price plus 100% of selected options!
US North East to Hong Kong an interesting trip. Maybe next year.....

12-28-2001 01:38 AM

halyardz

Boat Choice

HongKong Jon: Before you order a new Jennie,
you should check out the used market. My
discussions with a Jennie broker over the summer indicated that the economy crunched a
number of orders for new boats and has left
some nearly new...and I mean with residual
new boat smell...on the market at significant
discounts. Location could be a problem but
heck, you always wanted to sail from the
US northeast to Hong Kong anyway....didn''t
you?

12-27-2001 06:12 PM

jonconway

Boat Choice

Jeff
I am very intersted in your comments re beam. I am about to order a new Jeanneau Sun Oddyssey 52.2 (LOA 50'' 6") with a beam of 15'' 11". I am unsure how you define ''extreme'' beam??? but we plan to liveaboard and the beam of this boat over comparable yachts (similar length Beneteau for example) was an attraction in terms of living space.
Would you agree ''beaminess'' is relative to the LOA of the boat and the problems you describe diminsh with increasing LOA?
Best Wishes
Jon
Hong Kong

12-27-2001 05:59 PM

thomasstone

Boat Choice

Forget about sailing in the ICW! You will be motoring. Find a boat with a good diesel and a furling headsail for the days when the wind is on your beam or behind you. Check out the older Tartan 37s , nice beam, shallow draft w/cb, large cockpit,,sails well on all points and will easily take you around the world when you are ready.
thomas

12-27-2001 05:47 PM

Jeff_H

Boat Choice

There are actually two different companies that built two different boats all called Mariner 36. Neither were built by Tayana as far as I know but one was built in Taiwan. The Taiwanese Mariners were ''character boats'' constructed to look and feel traditional. The various models varied pretty widely in sailing ability but most were slow and not especially great sailors. Build quaility was generally considered pretty mediocre with deck core rot extremely common. Most of these boats had wooden spars which had glue line and rot problems if not carefully maintained. Hardware tended to be oriental knock offs of older style gear and so was of dubious reliablility and imposible to find parts for. During the years that my mother and stepfather was importing their lines of boats from Taiwan, my step father was pretty harsh on the build quality on the Mariners.

The other Mariner 36 was constructed in Maine and seemed to be a pretty nice boat. I have not seen too many of these around. They look like they should be well rounded sailers and should be good boats for coastal cruising and limited offshore work.

Jeff

12-27-2001 03:58 PM

el

Boat Choice

Was the Mariner 36 built by Tayana. If so, what is your opinion.

12-27-2001 11:17 AM

dpinorm

Boat Choice

You discuss a number of issues, but don''t mention one which in my opinion is critical - quality construction and systems.

At your budget, you will not be able to get a relatively new, top quality boat with full offshore cruising equipment. With a limited budget and an older boat, I would first look to who makes the boats with the best reputation and then look for those that look to be well maintained. Given your constraints, I doubt you''ll have the luxury of picking from a lot of alternatives.

There''s a HUGH difference in boats that will take you to Florida, to the Caribbean, and to Australia. There are a lot of factors in your decision, but my gut feeling, from someone who has been there, is to buy an inexpensive coastal cruiser with good resale value. Then head to Florida and maybe the Abacos. When you''re ready, sell her and by then you''ll know what the next step should be.

Good luck,
Norm

12-27-2001 05:50 AM

JohnDrake

Boat Choice

Hello, Jeff states it well when he writes that you may have contradictory requirements. All boats are compromises, however, and the right boat will emerge.

My suggestion is to take your time looking. My own personal search has taken almost two years and, in that time, I have come to a completely different solution that I thought I would (and I have been sailing a long time). I am still not finished in my negotiations and the choice may change further still. But circumstance forced time on me and that turned out to be a terrific luxury.

Begin with a base boat of choice, say the Tayana 37. List its attributes. Make a list of the major attributes you wish to have in a vessal and go from there. Each boat you look at after that point will compare well or poorly (and thus be discarded from consideration). You will continue to refine your desired attributes. And then, you will find a boat that either "speaks to you" or is simply a very good fit for what you want and need. You will look at it and your list and see that they fit and the choice to put a contract on her is an easy one.

Hope this helps.

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